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"What we need to do as an inexperienced team that's not used to winning, we need to learn how to win.

""It's not good enough that we lose concentration in what Tess (acting Force captain Heath Tessman) calls the big moments."

The Force won just two matches in 2016 and three the year before.

Wessels drew encouragement from the performances of his younger players and the new centre pairing of former NRL star Curtis Rona and Bill Meakes.

"I thought most of the young guys did really well, the one that probably stands out for me defensively is Billy Meakes," Wessels said.

"He's got a very important role defensively and is almost like another flanker.

"He's very tough and he's good on the ball, but I thought he just organised the guys around him very well.

"Then Curtis did a good job of keeping Israel Folau quiet and had one or two good touches himself so I thought the centre pairing was pretty good."

Wessels is hoping veteran flanker Matt Hodgson will be fit to return for the match against a Reds side he said would take a lot of confidence from what he described as a very gutsy win over the Sharks.